Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 17, 1924)
Cooking Foods Under Steam Pressure How the Relatively New Pressure Cooker Is Finding a Place in the Kitchen Steam pressure cooking and the use of it for can ning has been growing in popularity throughout the country for several years. The problem that* Interests most housewives is •whether or not with foods prepared under steam pres sure the same delicacy of flavor is retained. Extensive experiments made by various institutions have proven that it is possible to retain all the original flavor of ^ food in a pressure cooker and save a great deal of time ( and fuel in the preparation of a meal. , A steam pressure cooker may be used with equally successful results on a gas, coal, kerosene or electric range. As is to be expected, more time is required to bring up the steam pressure when using an electric range than with the other fuels, but the amount of time saved in the actual cooking of foods-over-rides this loss of time in producing the proper temperature. Steam pressure cookers may be purchased in more than one size, according to the capacity desired. Insets and racks for holding the various foods accompany them. The operation of the cooker is very simple if a few directions are followed. Always place the rack or mat in the bottom of the cooker before putting in the food. Pour the desired amount of boiling water into the bottom of the cooker and arrange the food for steaming. Each lime, when adjusting the cover on the cooker, take care that both the cover and the edge Fresh Eggs and Wrinkles About the making of toilet preparations there has long hovered a veil of mysterious secrecy. Yet the dainty jars and bottles on your dressing table con tain no weird compounds. Pure, wholesome toilet preparations are made of simple, natural ingredients gathered from the woods and fields of many lands with the utmost scientific precision. On upper Fifth Avenue in the shopping-for-youth district, is one-beauty specialist who tells quite frankly what her preparations are made of. Her name is as simple, wholesome and olu-iashioned as tne ingredi ents of her preparations—Kathleen Mary Quinlan— yet the moment you meet her your confidence is as sured by the definite knowledge she shows of scientific methods of preserving youth. Miss Quinlan is especially noted for keeping eyes young. During the many years she has cared for . feminine beauty she found that the first marks of ? age, nerve-strain, illness and worry appear about the I eyes. For years she endeavored to perfect prepara ' tions sufficiently delicate yet effective to keep the eyes young. From modern formulae she turned to the old fashioned beauty aids of her great-grandmother’s time. Among them she found just what she had been seeking. Delicate flower oils, rich nut oils, potent fruit oils, sweet woodsy-scented herbs, barks, roots, dried flower petals and pressed leaves. These she gathers from dis tant countries. America is no less generous than other nations. From her farms come to this quaint Fifth Avenue laboratory wheat, rice, milk, honey, strawberries, wax and fresh eggs. Into one small jar is blended perhaps a score of different oils, many eggs are whipped in or honey may be beaten into the mixture. Some lo tions are aged like old wine, others are straired count less times through the finest silk. Some oils are kept boiling for days until they are thoroughly united in a beautifying lotion. Creams are made by hand, witn a thermometer standing as sentinel, to be sure they are kept at an even temperature. Such are the simple, wholesome ingredients that correct wrinkles, coarse pores, blackheads, freckles, sagging muscles, make scanty hair long, thick and glossy and tired eyes young. of the cooker where the cover fits on are thoroughly dry to insure perfect contact; that the pet-cock is wide open to al low the escape of all air; and last, that the arrow on the edge of the cover points to the arrow on the cooker itself. After the cover is in position, tighten the wing nuts, screw ing each one gradually in rotation until the cooker is steam tight. Now place the cooker over the fire with the heat on full. As soon as steam begins to issue from the pet-cock, close it at once. The pointer on the steam gauge now begins to rise, registering the amount of steam pressure. As soon as the steam gauge indicates the pressure desired, lower the heat . under the cooker to hold the steam gauge at this point To determine the desirable pressure at which to cook the foods from the standpoint of flavor and texture, duplicate roasting chickens were prepared in the steam pressure cooker at five, 10, 15 and 20 pounds. Here, also, the tasting staff passed its opinion on the result. The chickens steamed at 15 and 20 pounds for the shorter length of time were equally as tender and flavorsome as those steamed at five and 10 pounds for the greater length of time. Time is an important factor, of course, so the use of the higher pressure seems inadvisable. Likewise since the difference in the results at 15 and 20 pounds was so small, we have adopted 15 pounds pressure as the basis fur computing the time table of cooking. Once the desired pressure has been reached and the heat lowered under the cooker, it is surprising how little attention the cooker demands during the cooking period. If the safety valve is regulated properly, it will release any excess steam. Begin to count the time for cooking when the steam gauge registers the required pressure. Cook all foods for the num ber of minutes indicated in the time table. At the end of the cooking period remove the cooker from the fire, open tie pet-cock gradually and allow the steam to "escape slowly. If strong-flavored vegetables such as cauliflower are being steamed, set the cooker near an open window before opening the pet-cock, and then allow the steam to escape out of doors. When the team gauge registers xero, unscrew the wing nuts, lift the cover and remove the food. Never unscrew the wing nuts or remove tlie ct>vcr before nil the steam has been released. After each time of using, wash and dry the cooker kettle, being careful to keep the steam gauge out of water. Occasionally remove the valve ball in the safety valve and wipe it dry, not only to prevent rusting, but to keep the valve in good working condition. In cooking large pieces of meat, it is generally easier to place the meat directly on the rack in the bottom of the cooker. The preparation of the meat should be much the same as when cooking by the ordinary method. Ham, corned beef and beef tongue should be freshened, if necessary, by soaking in water, and process as directed in the time table. Chicken fricassee, lamb, mutton, pork, veal anil pot roast should be dredged with salt, pepper and flour, browned in drippings in the cooker, one cupful of boiling water added, and then processed as directed in the time table. These meats may he browned in a 500-degree F. oven for 15 min utes after being removed from the steam pressure cooker, if desired. Iton*t fowl should be stuffed, trussed and steamed with one cupful of boiling water for the required length of time and then browned in the oven. Salmon and halibut should be lied in cheesecloth und steamed in an inset with one cupful of boiling water in the bottom of the cooker. Fot beef stew, use your standard recipe. Dredge the meat with flour and seasoning and brown in drippings in the cooker. Steam for 50 minutes with one cupful of boiling water. Then let off the steam, add the prepared vegetable, and steam 10 minutes longer. Beef slew prepared in this manner does not have quite the Mended flavor of moat and vegetables found iu ordi nary stew, but the result is very good if time is an item. In cooking vegetables- by steam pressure, one cupful of boiling water is usually used in the bottom of the cooker. However, in the case of cabbage, cauliflower, beets ami greens, cover them with boiling water and process the required length of time. Season all vegetables before placing in the cooker. In cooking rice, wash it and uso six cupfuls of boil ing water to one cupful of rice. Steamed puddings cooked in Hie pressure cooker are ac ceptable, but not so light as those steamed in the ordinary Manner. Here, also, time Is a faetor in choosing the method h steaming puddings in a presaure cooker, you wOl note that they are first cooked without pressure, with the pet-ceek open, fer one hour. The pet-cock ia then rleaed and the ateeaaiag if the pudding completed under pressure. f Tie Most Popular fe Summer Drink/ There is no summer drink that can mrpass Iced Butter-Nut Tea. So delight ful in flavor. So refreshing. And yet, so economical. What Butter-Nut Coffee is to coffee lovers Butter-Nut Tea is to those who drink tea—the standard of quality and delicious flavor. Order a package today and he sure to ask for Butter-Nut. Orange Pekoe (Black) Tea Japan (Green) Tea Buller-Wul "fife TCh ggr- delicious * - - m __ M